Something Like Closure
by otownroxx
Summary: My version of the season premiere, when Rory came back. She wasn't with Lorelai when she saw Jess and that girl, and Dean hadn't come back yet, either.


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A/N: _This is my version of the season premiere. Rory wasn't with Lorelai when she saw Jess and that girl, and Dean hadn't come back yet, either. And another thing, this is just a *short* story, so after you read what is below...that's it, end of story. ;) I wrote this when I had a mental block for my other story, 'CoffeeJunkie02 meets NYer02'. Please review, I'd like to know what you think!!_

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S_o_**m**_e_**t**_h_**i**_n_**g L**_i_**k**_e_** C**_l_**o**_s_**u**_r_**e**

Rory's eyes watered and her vision blurred as she watched the scene before her. So he's found someone else? Well, the answer was obvious, seeing as how he was making out with the girl, but somehow...she couldn't believe it. Or maybe she just didn't _want_ to believe it.

Feeling as though she were about to cry, Rory turned away. She found herself looking back, however, and Jess glanced up. His eyes locked with hers and a look of pure surprise flashed across his face. His eyes lowered to the girl he was kissing and he lightly pulled away after giving her one final peck.

He said something to her and she shrugged, walking off. Jess started toward Rory, and she panicked, her eyes flicking back and forth, searching for the quickest escape route. She wasn't fast enough, though, because now he stood before her.

"Hey," he greeted, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Rory took a deep breath. "Hey."

"You're back."

"You don't miss a thing," she replied flatly.

"Where's Dean?"

Rory's lower lip trembled involuntarily and she looked away. "He's not back yet."

"Did he end up following you to Washington? Because, gosh, that would be just _so cute_."

"No, he didn't. He's in Chicago. He's getting back later."

"Thanks for the warning," Jess called over his shoulder as he started walking off.

Rory stared after him a second before catching up to him and cutting him off so he'd stop.

"Was there something else?"

She looked into his eyes and they softened. Jess reached for her.

"Rory--"

"Jess!"

They both looked up and Jess nodded at the blonde-haired girl that he had been kissing just moments before.

"Be right there," he told her. "Go order something."

The girl sighed, walking back into the diner.

"It's too late, isn't it?" Rory realized out loud.

Jess looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"I was going to--" Rory stopped herself and tried again. "You have a girlfriend."

"You have a boyfriend," he replied.

"So it's my fault," she said, more to herself than to him.

"Your fault?"

"Bye Jess."

Rory hurried off, and thankfully made it around the corner before tears started to fall.

"Hun, what is it?" Lorelai asked, concerned.

"Nothing."

"It is not 'nothing'," Lorelai argued. "Tell me, Ror. Maybe I can help."

"At Sookie's wedding, I..."

"You what?"

"I kissed Jess."

Lorelai relaxed. "Is that all? Hun, you told me that already. Wow, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"_I_ kissed _him_, Mom. And now..."

"Now what?"

"Now I think I may have feelings for him."

"Here comes the heart attack," Lorelai mumbled, wincing. "Rory--he's got a girlfriend now."

"I know, but I just saw him and he came over and he--"

"Ror, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing?" Rory repeated.

"What about Dean?"

"I...I love Dean."

"And he loves you. So forget Jess. Jess, who has a girlfriend now."

"I know!" Rory cried.

"So..."

"So I love Dean. That Jess thing was just a mistake. I was just happy he was--"

"Happy?"

"Well he _is_ my friend."

"Okay."

Rory nodded, walking to her room and shutting the door behind her.

'He's got a girlfriend?'

She knew what she had just told her mother--that Jess and their kiss had meant nothing--and she really wished she felt that way, but the truth was...she didn't.

Their kiss _had_ meant something to her. And Jess--well, he meant something to her, too. But it was all her little secret. Not like it mattered, anyway. He had a girlfriend now. And...she had Dean.

Dean, who had always been there for her. Dean, who loved her. Dean...who was always jealous, barely seemed to trust her, and practically smothered her.

Rory instantly felt guilty for her thoughts. It wasn't that she didn't love Dean...she did. It just seemed...like they were growing apart. Or _she_ was, at least.

She didn't know what to do. In Washington, she had decided--after hours and hours of thought--to 'go after' Jess. She had also decided that she was fully ready to tell Dean how she felt, but now seeing Jess again, with a girlfriend nonetheless, she wasn't sure.

Obviously _he_ had moved on. She was beginning to have second thoughts about the kiss they had shared six weeks before. It was a little late in the game now to 'take it back', but maybe her kissing Jess _had_ been a mistake. Maybe it _had_ just been a result of her being so happy her _friend_ was back.

Either way, nothing exactly changed. And no matter how much she wanted to believe that explanation, it still didn't explain why she had been obsessing over everything for the past six weeks.

Rory decided she needed to talk to Jess again...And soon--before Dean got home.

She left her room and started for the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Lorelai called from the living room, turning her head to face Rory.

"Oh, um, I'm going to Luke's."

"And you didn't bother to ask me? I wanna go! Hold on." Lorelai started to stand up, but stopped when she saw her daughter's facial expression. "Do you not want me to go?" she asked.

"It's not that. I just...I have to talk to Jess, and--"

"Jess?"

"Yes."

"You have to talk to Jess?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To clear some things up."

"Closure?" Lorelai asked knowingly.

"Something like that."

"Well, alright. See you later."

Rory nodded, heading outside. She walked to Luke's, wondering what exactly she should say. What if his girlfriend was there? She hadn't thought of that. But now she was at the diner, and it was too late to turn back.

She opened the door and the bell jingled loudly. The diner seemed to get quiet as everyone looked up. She couldn't tell if she imagined it or not, but just in case--she pretended not to notice.

Luke looked up from pouring Kirk coffee. "Hey Rory."

There was a question in his eyes, and Rory knew he was wondering where her mother was.

"Hey Luke. Mom's coming later. I was just...um..."

"Have you seen Jess since you've been back?" Luke asked as if reading her mind. "He's upstairs if you wanted to say hello."

"Thanks," Rory smiled gratefully, slowly walking upstairs.

'What am I going to say?' she asked herself for the thousandth time.

By now, she had reached the door that read 'William's Hardware'. She knocked and heard feet shuffling around inside.

Jess opened the door, his shirt wrinkled and his hair disheveled. Rory's eyes widened in realization. He had just been making out! She had interrupted him...making out.

"Oh, sorry," she said quickly, averting her gaze.

He looked confused, then he smiled. "That's okay. I was _done_ anyway."

"Uh..."

"Rory? Where are you going?"

She ran downstairs and was out the door of the diner before Jess caught up to her.

"Rory!"

She stopped dead and he narrowly missed running into her. He grabbed her arm.

"_What_ is the matter with you?" he demanded.

"Nothing. Go back to your girlfriend."

"She went home. I'm going to see her later. What has she got to do with this, anyway?"

Rory raised an eyebrow, taking in the wrinkled shirt, the messed up hair...

"I was sleeping when you knocked," Jess said with a smirk, realizing what she had been thinking. He put his hands in his pockets and Rory's face grew hot.

"Oh. Well how was I supposed to know?"

"I don't know. What does it matter anyway?"

'Let her say it. I _know_ she likes me,' Jess thought. 'Just admit it.'

"I wanted to talk to you. _Alone_. That's all."

"Huh. And what were you going to say?"

She didn't answer, biting her lip instead. She appeared to Jess to be deep in thought, wondering what she should say. Maybe even...weighing the consequences in her mind that would come along with what she had to say?

"You have a girlfriend."

"Thanks for the reminder."

"Jess, I--"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing, nevermind. I--I have to go."

Rory turned away, and Jess bit his lip, watching her walk a few steps, before calling after her.

"I missed you, too, Rory."

She spun around and he smiled at her. She walked back over.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, well...hi."

She really didn't know what to say. She hadn't been prepared for that one.

"Hi."

She wanted nothing more than to just lean forward, close the two feet between them, and kiss him. But he had a girlfriend. And, oh!, she had a boyfriend! Why was it getting harder and harder to remember that when she was around Jess? She loved Dean, _didn't she_? She loved--

Jess closed the distance between them on his own. She didn't even have time to finish her thoughts before his lips were on hers.

--Jess.

"What was that?" she whispered, licking her lips. She was staring at his mouth, and she blushed when she became aware of this, looking up into his eyes.

"What, you gave me a welcome home kiss, but I can't give you one? Huh, good to know."

"I wasn't complaining," Rory laughed. She covered her mouth with her hands and Jess grinned.

"I have a boyfriend."

"I remember. You reminded me earlier, remember?"

"You have a girlfriend."

"You reminded me that, too."

"Jess, this isn't funny!" Rory cried.

He leaned over and kissed her again.

"Isn't it at least amusing?"

__

"No."

"What is it then?"

Rory took a deep breath, her heart beating fast.

"What are you doing--" she started.

"Giving a welcome kiss? I thought we established that."

"What's wrong with you? You're acting so--"

"Huh. I got the point, Rory. No need to spell it out," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Don't get offended. I just don't want to make a habit out of cheating on my boyfriend."

Jess nodded. "Same time tomorrow?" he joked.

"We'll see," Rory replied with a grin.

She left, knowing fully well that he was watching her leave.

So he had a girlfriend. And she had a boyfriend. There still seemed to be an attraction between her and Jess, but for now, it was put on hold. For now, she would have to settle on being just friends.

__

-**T**_h_**e E**_n_**d**_._


End file.
